<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>When the party is over by celestdrabbles</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24791377">When the party is over</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/celestdrabbles/pseuds/celestdrabbles'>celestdrabbles</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Witcher (TV), The Witcher (TV) RPF, Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Angst, Drug Use, Explicit Language, F/M, Henry Cavill - Freeform, I Blame Tumblr, I Made Myself Cry, I Will Go Down With This Ship, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Inspired by The Witcher, Jaskier the sassy guy, Mentions of Rape, Mentions of Sex, Mentions of drugs, Multi, Official Characters, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Parallel Universes, Parallel Universes au, Slow Burn, Soulmates, What Have I Done, What Was I Thinking?, Witchers Have Feelings (The Witcher), Young Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon, bitchy attitudes, disco vibes, geralt the good guy, imagine being drunk and on point, kinda dead dove, lana del rey - Freeform, more than what you are thinking, or trash, the writer is really chaotic, venus in gemini, welcome to the angst train</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 11:46:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>10,142</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24791377</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/celestdrabbles/pseuds/celestdrabbles</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>every story has its beginnings, even if they don’t feel like it. [Parallel Universe AU]</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Original Female Character(s), Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Reader, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/You, Jaskier | Dandelion/Original Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Venice Bitch</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hi Guys! this is my first fanfic ever. As English is not my main language, I plead forgiveness, I really hope you enjoy reading this as I enjoyed writing it. </p><p>This preface is part of the series ‘when the party is over’, I’m really excited by it, so I hope you all read it, and if you liked it, suscribe! there’s more trash from where this came from &lt;3</p><p>btw, you can find my work at Tumblr, I really enjoy posting in that site a lot more cos of the a e s t h e t I c s, so please follow me!<br/>My id is celestdrabbles :)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was a warm Saturday night.</p><p>Last night you had convinced your girlfriends of going out, you wanted to go clubbing so bad since Monday, listening to the most indulgent songs about sex, drugs and blurry strong emotions. You were not in a good place mentally, clearly; but at least you tried to take advantage of this strange psychological state.</p><p>That afternoon after scrubbing all the days work in the shower, you decided to use your favorite wrap dress, it was white and with little colorful dots; years before you had hem it shorter so they all could see your legs while you walked by. Good as it already looked, without giving it too much thought you decided to take the kitten heels, they were vintage and a really vibrant orange, a true gem your mother had left you before she <em>left you</em>. Good thing your granny saved those for you.</p><p>A really non-elaborated bun sat low in your head, your long umber hair sat on your neck, while you put on pinkish lip gloss on the mirror. One last thing was pendant and you had already put it on your shoulder, the oversized denim jacket to carry all of the stuff you’d need for the night, and of course, in case you got cold in the night.</p><p>The ride on the subway was full of stares, but you really tried not no mind. They were just old men who couldn’t do anything to you, just a scream at the top of your lungs and they’d be out of your personal space.</p><p>Arriving at the top of the stairs at the station you were going to join your friends you one of them, listening to the last chords of <em>Venice bitch</em> you took your headphones off and hugged Miranda.</p><p> </p><p>— Shit, I missed you! —you whispered on the ear of your beloved friend</p><p>— Come here —she mused taking you by the waist, then holding your hand-, I see you’re wearing the heels, girl you wanna get laid, right?</p><p>— I’m rooting for it —you acknowledge in your most diligent voice, trying to conceal a chuckle-. Hey, where’s Sophie?</p><p>— She’s running a little late, let me check my phone —as she retrieved the phone form her jacket’s pocket, you saw the brightness of her phone and then saw her face, off in utter terror- SHE IS COMING WITH JO, Oh. My. God.</p><p>— The guy from the last time? —you tried to think, but his name didn’t rang any bells</p><p>— No, you’re thinking about Phoenix, Sophie used to call him Pho. This one is a totally new one, you know, <em>tinder guy</em>.</p><p> </p><p>You both stared at each other and chuckled hard, you both wish you had Sophie’s luck.</p>
<h2 class="header2">☾✩☾✩☾✩☾✩☾✩☾✩☾✩☾✩</h2><p>Fast forward to later in the night and all of you were already in the club, at the usual table. You had already had too many glasses of wine while you began to notice the new <em>tinder guy. </em>He had the most black eyes you had seen in your life, he was tall, full of black tattoos, dressed in black, the embodiment of an old lady <em>worst</em> <em>nightmare</em>. </p><p>Sophie looked at him like he was the sun, but the guy kept looking at the abyss, it didn’t matter how talkative Miranda was with the extra drinks on her body, or how Sophie tussled his hair while she answered Miranda’s questions. He seemed like a robot, no emotion crossing through his face.</p><p>Suddenly a hand stepped in your visual field, it was Mirandas hand you laughed realizing that you hadn’t paid attention to anything the girls said,</p><p> </p><p>— I’m so sorry girls —you stated a little tipsy- I think I got lost in thought.</p><p>— Yes, we’ve realized, —Sophie said with happiness and difficulty, she was already really drunk, bright apple cheeks under her makeup- we… we’re talking about doing something really <em>bad </em>tonight</p><p> </p><p>You feared the worst, every time she said something like that you ended up in bed with someone you didn’t know -or <em>didn’t</em> want to known the end-, or in a cab at the front of your ex boyfriends house. You raised an eyebrow, deciding that maybe today you’d end up in a totally different place, maybe with someone you <em>didn’t know.</em></p><p> </p><p><em>— </em>well —Sophie continued- it’s not like this gorgeous guy it’s really a <em>bad</em> guy, but… Jo has a little… a few connections with a really good dealer…</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Well shit, now drugs were involved, but you’re already here, you are young, you got nothing to lose…</em>
</p><p> </p><p>—… and he got us some <em>mollys</em> for us to try - she said while looking a him and biting her lower lip and squeezing his arm-</p><p> </p><p>Then Jo finally moved, he tucked a blonde strand of Sophies hair in her ear, and he opened his mouth for the first time in the whole night</p><p> </p><p>— I think you guys’ll really enjoy this —he said with the most indulgent voice, soft and low, it was like listening to a <em>mermaid</em>. You gazed into his eyes, and immediately felt like he was the only one you could trust in the world— this are really soft ones, perfect for non-consumers, you’ll find this really soothing.</p><p> </p><p>He gave each one of you a different one, yours was a little navy blue, almost purple, Sophie’s was pink and Miranda’s was white. A deep breath in and a deep breath out and you popped in the Molly.</p><p> </p><p>— Strawberry! —the two girls said almost at unison, with a really happy face while trying to keep they mouth shut and drink a little more beer-</p><p> </p><p>You looked white-faced at Jo, yours tasted like blueberry, not strawberry. The spiral of fear began to creep into your mind, that couldn’t be a good sign. He smiled at you, full toothed smile. <em>Are those fangs?, no they can’t be, those things don’t happen in real life…</em></p><p>It clearly seemed that your mind was playing tricks with you, maybe you really had too much to drink, or maybe you’re a little allergic to these pills</p><p> </p><p>— I think I have to go to the bathroom —you declared in a rush, taking your denim jacket and placing it in your shoulders. You had to puke, <em>now</em>, you couldn’t let that shit make any effect on you—</p><p> </p><p>You noticed how that guy, the strange old-ladies-nightmare didn’t left his gaze on you, the bad effect the drug was appearing to have on you <em>wasn’t</em> your organism, it was <em>intentional</em></p><p> </p><p><em>— </em>You want us to go with you? —blurted out Miranda looking at his hand, already lost in the funny effects of the pill she took</p><p> </p><p>— No, don’t worry, stay. I’ll be back soon.</p><p> </p><p>— I’ll go with her, don’t you worry girls —Jo stood up and your stomach flopped, you had to be faster than him</p><p> </p><p>You parried trough the dance floor trying to get away from this man. Nightly and dark place full of neon lights that confused you, flashes of smiles and hands trying to grab your arms —<em>did he took or not one of his own pills?</em>-. Your heartbeat began rising as you saw a door, the mens bathroom, as always the only without a line, you busted in, your legs failing to respond to your ‘<em>walk, please, keep walking</em>’ commands. As soon as you got in the smell of pee hit your nose and puke wanted to come from your mouth, you opened the first stall to finally give in and get that pill out of your system…</p><p>Everything began fading, suddenly you remembered all the stories you heard in your school days. <em>Rape, I don’t want to go like this. </em>The little brightness that you could see in the bathroom began to fade, you began crying as you dropped slowly to the floor, your legs wobbling as you fell. </p><p> </p><p>The last thing you saw where a pair of feet that slowly approached, they looked like Jo’s jeans.</p><p> </p><p>Maybe you were not meant to be a <em>Venice bitch</em> after all.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Blueberry Nights</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>the boys find something in the woods, wtf?</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Remember, if you liked please, please subscribe! I’ll be updating regularly, so don’t let the sun go down on me.</p><p>And please, check my Tumblr!, id: celestdrabbles :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p></p><div class="">
  <p>— Another day, another river —Jaskier said trying to tune his lute, failing in the process</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>— Do you really have to quack all those weird noises every time you begin playin, Jaskier?</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>— Princess Ciri, clearly you don’t get the creative process of music. I’m telling you Gerald, this kid is not the brightest I’ve seen —Jaskier acknowledge with a hand on his hip</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>— Well, at least I don’t look like an awful hairy-maid trying to woo some lord over at the court - said Ciri crossing her arms, deciding that raving at Jaskier wasn’t really wise, as well as she turned on her heels and began to climb up a tree</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>— yES, RUN LIKE YOU ALWAYs DO, I have better things to sing about!</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>Geralt, trying not to disturb his inner peace by the <em>childish argumen</em>t that his said family was having continued to fish, the provisions had reduced since last winter, and with Ciri on his care, he didn’t want to face a moment where they’d starve. <em>Surprised parenthood </em>was a really strange mental place for him, it was hard, but he felt real love for the kid, even if he sometimes felt he was not doing a really good job.</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>— wellshitthosefishesaretakingtheirgoodtimegettingintoyournetGeralt —said Jaskier, trying not to be heard by the Witcher beside him-, but don’t worry, I’ll sing to them so they’ll get fast to your hairy and big arms, just let me grab my lute</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>— No. —as Geralt spoke he took the lute in his hands, putting it on the air, sticking his yellow, furious eyes to Jaskier- Let them be.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>— OH, SO NOW EVERYONE IS MAD AT ME, OK, I WILL GO TO TAKE A WEE, YOU MONSTERS LEAVE ME ALONE —</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>Jaskier walked away while throwing his hand in the air in utter disbelief, as he searched for a tree enough big to cover himself for anyone who wanted to spy his <em>manly bits. </em>He found one, but underneath it laid a <a href="https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FFairy_ring&amp;t=Y2QzMzhmNjFhMzYwZmU3OGNmMjM1ODk0ZmEzNmQwMzFkNTZlOWViNiw2MjQ3NTNhMzY1MDNkMmJmZWNhZjdmZjJlYWM5MDI0MmU4MTZjNjAx">fae circle</a>, Geralt had already taught him that he didn’t have to wee in the homes of fairies, so he kept on walking, hands beginning to go south as the pressure on his bladder was rising fast. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Galloping as fast as he could he reached a dark place in between the trees, it was already pretty far from where Geralt and Ciri were fishing, he couldn’t see them, not even from afar. Getting closer to the dark spot he was already lowering his pants, but what he saw put a stop on all the fluids that were trying to leave his body-</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>— Geralt? —He spoke loudly, but no answer came</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>As he got closer and closer he was able to see something orange that popped from the tall grass. It wasn’t a fruit or some fungus, it was clearly shiny, <em>manmade.</em> Rounding himself on the view, he began walking to his side, in hope of seeing what was the strange thing that had such bright and unusual color.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Only once he had seen such vibrant orange, and it was an <a href="https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fwitcher.fandom.com%2Fwiki%2FAlp&amp;t=NWRiNDU2Y2Q3OWIwNGFiNjRjMjhlNzJmYzQ1YTQ0MDdkMzBiOTRhZCxhNGFkZmRlOTI1NjlkMTZkNmEyNGYyMjk4OTAxMWQ4ODQyNTY1Nzk0">Alp’s</a> hair, and that accident wasn’t really something he wanted to <em>repeat</em> in his life, he still had some leftover scars in his ankles, and damn they hurt in winter time</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>— GERALT COME HERE NOW —screamed Jaskier in a wheezy voice, exasperated and feeling like fainting</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>But no, he stopped in his tracks, he had to <em>man up, </em>maybe he could become the next hero from his own songs, —<em>can you imagine that?, he could be a legend, and maybe Geralt could sing songs about him now. </em>He took a deep breath and come closer, the orange thing now was clearer to see, it looked like a shoe, but it couldn’t be, who’d wear something so <em>unprotected</em> and <em>fragile</em> to come to the woods? maybe it was a doll’s shoe, or a robbed princess attire.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Suddenly Jaskier realized, the shoe-like-<em>thingy</em> was attached to something, something pink, something <em>fleshy.</em></p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p><em>— HOLY SHIT GERALT COME HERE FAST, THERE’S SOMEONE IN HERE —</em>this time he reached in a strangled scream, whatever that was, it seemed like a human.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>He took a stick that was on the ground, and began poking the fleshy looking part, as his hand removed the visual obstacles —<em>leaves </em>from his view. It was a leg, clearly attached to a body. While he tried not to scream even more he placed a hand on his mouth, it was a woman. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Geralt arrived just in time as he was coming closer to the body that was dumped in between the fern leaves. He got closer and placed his hand in his friends shoulder</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p><em>— GAAAAAH!… FOR HEAVENS SAKE GERALT, YOU ALMOST KILL ME -</em>said the bard, trying to hold on into his chest, petrified to the bone.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>— Hmmm… is this what you found? —the Witcher began looking in the direction that Jaskier was facing, pale-faced- go and search for Ciri, take her home. Let me inspect.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>Jaskier hopped of the grip of the white haired man, understanding that his tone was <em>serious</em>, it could be a <em>monster</em> or someone <em>possessed</em>. It wasn’t a bard’s job to do something more in this occasion, he had to put Ciri in a safe place.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>As the bard flew from the scene, the witcher began to look into the scene. The body of this woman looked like a young girl, the strange apology of a dress that covered her body was undone, showing what he thought were her undergarments —<em>maybe the ones that did this teared apart the original dress?</em>. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The orange foot-covers were making her feet twisted due to the little heels, she was left in a really strange position, almost as she was dropped from really high… a soft baby blue cover that looked like a cape was thrown not too far from her. He kneeled near her, his senses already revealed that she was human, that she was barely still alive, and that she was <em>cursed</em>. Taking the closed eyed face into his hands he saw a flesh wound in the back of her neck, still oozing with blood.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p><em>— Shit —</em>was all he could get out as he immediately realized what was wrong. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>He took a better grip of her face and pushed on the jaw, the mouth of the lady opening ajar. Blood run through her face, as he introduced his digits in and took the small rock that was lying in the space between her cheeks and her teeth. A blueberry looking stone. <em>Vampire magic.</em></p>
</div><div class="">
  <p><em>He had seen this before, but many moons back, more that he could count —</em>he said to himself as he took the body carefully in his arms, she needed help <strong><em>now</em></strong>, life hanging from a thread at this point. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Geralt quickly called for Roach, placing the body carefully in the back of the horse while he mounted it. While the horse ran and he tried to stay in focus, a sudden realization hit him, <em>black tears</em> had been cried, as the eyes where stained by something black, the girl wasn’t from here, or <em>anywhere</em>that he knew.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He quickly galloped home where Ciri and Jaskier were already in, the child tugging her dress in her fingers, in a clear nervous manner approached the scene as fast as she could</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>— Who is she? Why is there blood? —the little one spoke in a soft and full of fear voice</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>—Jaskier, bring me the blue bottle and some rags —he said looking to the impressed bard- Ciri put some water to boil, we need to clean her wounds, <em>fast</em></p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>Both of them obeyed as he placed the limp body in Ciri’s bed, the blood staining the comforter and sheets. Turning the girl —<em>woman?</em>- on her stomach, Geralt began to remove her long hair from the wound, realizing that he’d have to stitch it up.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Jaskier waltzed rapidly into the room with full hands and arms —I brought every blue flask and bottle that I could find… what’s wrong with her? -he asked while reaching to caress her hair from the other side of the bed, talking really softly, as if not to disturb the work of his friend.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>— Bring me thread, this needs stitching. —the Witcher said with diligent voice- she… she was cursed, with strong and old magic. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>Geralt looked at Jaskier with a little sorrow in his eyes, —<em>Is he really that worried?</em>- declared internally the bard as he looked at his friend, searching in Ciri’s drawers for a thread and a needle that could stab flesh. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>— Here —he passed on the needle, ready to sew</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>— Hold her, we don’t know if she can still feel something.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>The sound of the flesh being moved and sewed on made Jaskier’s stomach churn and turn until he had to look away, the ceiling seemed like a great place to get lost in thought. The only thing that he could hear was how the Witcher worked his way with the potions, strange old words and the needle, healing wasn’t his job, but after so many years of looking the face of death, he knew how to <em>maintain </em>someone <em>alive</em>. The bard hadn’t realized that Ciri already had returned from retrieving some hot water, he only realized she was there because she spoke in a terribly, <em>terribly</em> sweet voice</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>— will she die? —Jaskier looked at the girl, who was watching the white wolf do his healing work standing behind him, placing her hands in his shoulders.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>— I don’t know, but we’ll make sure we do everything we can for she to live —he answered as he was finishing stitching the wound- I’m sorry child, but she’ll have to stay here in your room at least for tonight, you can take my bed.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>— Where’ll you sleep if I sleep in you mattress then Geralt? —Ciri always took childish care for Geralt, trying to be as sweet as she could with the only adult-familiar-figure she had left</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>— Don’t worry, I’ll stay here in the chair for tonight.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>Geralt looked at Jaskier, whose mouth was utterly shut and in silence, he couldn’t believe how many hours had passed without him making any snarky comment</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>— well, if she dies, we can sell her hair. I mean she has plenty of it and pretty long, I’m sure that they’d pay a fair price for it being honest. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>There he is.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>Geralt grunted looking directly at Jaskier, who was going to reinforce his view on what a <strong><em>good idea</em></strong> it was to sell her hair —<em>I mean, he has seen worst being sell and returned with a pretty amount of gold</em>- when he cut his train of thought</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>— Help me with the grime, here —as he tossed him a wet and hot rag- Ciri, grab some blankets from your drawers and <em>go to bed</em>.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>Without saying a peep Jaskier helped his friend and Ciri ran from the scene. He couldn’t ignore his knitted brows and the grunts he made as he seemed thoughtful, —<em>maybe he doesn’t want her to stay here?</em>- he thought and of course, he couldn’t let his friend take a burden like this</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>— If you want to we can leave her at the woods again, I mean she’ll die either ways, it’s not like we’re being cruel or —<em>continued</em> the bard out loud with a hand on his hip</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>The Witcher began covering the girl’s body with Ciri’s comforter, letting all the magic, cleaning and healing that he had done do its work.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>— Jaskier, get out of the room —Some really, really furious eyes looked at him while he gathered himself and left the room</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>Jaskier continued babbling to himself while he left the room before he was the one being killed in the forest and with his lute, went outside</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <em>Maybe she reminds him of Yennefer. Poor lonely soul… well, this could be a song… </em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>He looked at the stars and how shiny they were, it was like nothing bad had happened today, or like he didn’t forgot the net at the river.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>Or as no one had appeared while he was trying to wee in the woods, a normal day where there wasn’t a lady <em>dying</em> in Ciri’s bedroom.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>Fingerpicking the lute, he began singing</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <em>‘toss a new love to your witcher!’</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>— JASKIER,<em> I CAN HEAR YOU</em></p>
</div>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. I am brave, I am brave, I am brave</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>have you ever heard of baptism?</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hey! welcome to my fic. <br/>The story develops, all of you getting pretty twisted. </p><p>Remember, if you liked please, please subscribe to my tumblr!</p><p>My id is celestdrabbles :)</p><p>I’ll be updating regularly, so don’t let the sun go down on me.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>For the first time in ages you felt the hands of your grandmother.</p><p> </p><p>You had not seen those hands since she passed.</p><p> </p><p>They were old, veiny, with tons of spots. Those were the hands that used to comb your hair in early mornings, the hands that took away your tears, the hands you used to kiss out of pure devotion.</p><p> </p><p>You couldn’t see her face, but alarmingly you were hearing her voice. Raspy, old, kind, just as you remembered it, you felt tears coming down across your face, it has been so many years since you didn’t heard her calling you <em>child</em></p><p> </p><p>
  <em>— what am I doing here? — a whisper rolled from your lips — why am I seeing you?</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>— My dear child, I wasn’t really hoping in seeing you this soon… who hurt you? — the ghostly voice shivered</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>— I- I- I don’t know… I was out with my friends, I passed out.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>How on earth you’d explain to her that you were out <em>clubbing</em>, and foremost, that you were <em>doing drugs</em>?, she was the woman who raised you, she and your grandfather did an excruciating job bringing you up. It was so unfair bringing that up, even if it was a <em>dream.</em></p><p> </p><p>
  <em>— I see you have a new skin my dear</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>— What? What do you mean? —You couldn’t see yourself, your body. You could not know what was she talking about.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>— I always wanted to name you Juniper, I thought that it was a pretty name for your pretty face. Your mother didn’t wanted to, so we stayed with (y/n). Truly a waste, your pet name’d have been June, imagine that; a summer child in our family.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>☾✩☾✩☾✩☾✩☾✩☾✩☾✩☾✩</p><p> </p><p>You felt a light breeze in your cheek, birds were chirping; you took a deep breath, and felt the cold, woodsy perfumed air go in and our your lungs, it felt like waking up after a bad dream.</p><p> </p><p>Outside the sound of someone fingerpicking an instrument made you feel at peace, what a nice morning, <em>—was it your downstair neighbor maybe?, no, it couldn’t be, he always had late shifts, he’s probably sleeping his ass off…</em></p><p> </p><p>Wait a minute, you lived in the city, there are no birds, no calming instruments, no sun, no breeze, no woodsy smell. <em>—Where on earth am I?. </em>You tried to open your eyes as fast as you could, but your body didn’t respond. After some <em>trying</em>, one of your eyes gave in and opened. It felt like you slept for at least three years, your lashes glued to your eyelid; as you lied on your stomach, you couldn’t move.</p><p> </p><p>A tear began crossing across the opened eye: <em>fear. </em>It hadn’t been a dream, it was real, that man probably took you and not even the girls knew, it all had ended on that stall. Were you in another country?Had he <em>sold</em> you like in the movies?.</p><p> </p><p>Suddenly two icy eyes searched for your own gaze, you saw her coming up from the mattress; trying to focus you saw a girl, really light hair and two eyes that pierced through you</p><p> </p><p>— <em>GERALT</em>! —screamed the little girl while another tear ran through your face- she woke up!, she’s alive!</p><p> </p><p>You couldn’t understand why this child was behaving in so strange manner, she was jumping up and down, almost as dancing, you couldn’t know. You tried to move your head but there was no response, it was as if you were made of plastic, porcelain, nothing moved.</p><p> </p><p>The girl flew out of the room, and now you were terrorized, —<em>who are these people? What do they want form you?. </em>In fast and failed movement you tried to move the hand that was free from your own body, first your fingers. They responded after not many movements, you tried to lift your arm but it felt directly onto your face, your fingers hitting your neck. A muffled and pained scream crossed your mouth, it was dry, really dry, your throat hurt <em>—what is happening?</em></p><p> </p><p>You tried again, this time only with your fingertips, your nails rasped through your neck —<em>thread, was that a wound? Were you in a hospital?. </em>Pressing your fingers with a little more intensity you felt liquid on your neck, slowly removing your hand and bringing it to your visual field you saw blood, bright red blood.</p><p> </p><p>— Oh my god —a voice partially screamed- how on earth are you bleeding AGAIN?!, where’s that brat?, I’m going to kill her, now the white wolf is going to kill me, make me beg for mercy —the voice cried out from your sight, thought you’d hear how the <em>holder of the voice</em> moved in circles, maybe in front of the bed.</p><p> </p><p>More footsteps came into the room and you could distinguish two different ones, the one that seemed to float and move really quickly appeared in front of you, it was the girl, grinning at you</p><p> </p><p>— why does she has blood on her hand? — the girl murmured in a tiny voice, smile fading</p><p> </p><p>And the other ones were pretty heavy,</p><p> </p><p>— <em>Fuck</em> —the other pair of footsteps began walking, in long strides and clearly strong, with every movement it felt like the ground moved. You were clearly afraid of a person that moved like that, I mean, the guy must be seven feet tall- Jaskier <em>I told you </em>to keep an eye on her —the man said violently.</p><p> </p><p>— cIRI I THOUGHT YOU WERE TAKING CARE OF <em>IT —</em>as soon as the other man, <em>Jaskier</em>, began talking, the other one,<em> Geralt,</em> began moving to the side you couldn’t see. You could felt how angry he was, as some droplets felt into a source of water and a rag moved through your neck, you bounced, feeling the rag almost as a zap of electricity— I mean, princess Ciri, I was <em>only</em> going out to get some new bandages for the girl, you should’ve not left her alone —he corrected himself in a fake-polite manner.</p><p> </p><p>— Geralt, that’s a lie —said the girl moving to the back of your skull- I didn’t left her alone, not even for a second… but then she opened an eye, and I wanted to let you know, but you were really far away</p><p> </p><p>— I was going to get the healer from the village —Interrupted the one named Gerald.</p><p> </p><p>— I know —continued the girl- but I thought it was important, I even braided her hair so her wound’d heal faster!, and besides, Jaskier wasn’t nowhere to be seen! —you heard a sniff, oh no, she was going to cry…</p><p> </p><p>— Excuse me? I was playing the lute outside, maybe she needed some music… Maybe THAT’S WHY SHE WOKE UP! —Said this Jaskier, happily.</p><p> </p><p>The other men grunted, and began moving again. Slowly he approached you, the first thing you saw were his hips —not because you <em>wanted</em>, but because you couldn’t move your head—. Dark pants, just as Joe was wearing, a <em>yelp </em>left your lips, what if Jo’s real name was <em>Geralt</em> and he <em>still</em> had you <em>captive</em>?</p><p> </p><p>— Jaskier, I think <b><em>you</em></b> should go to the healer —stated the man in front of you</p><p> </p><p>— of course, anything for you my lord… can I take Roach?</p><p> </p><p>— No. Hurry.</p><p> </p><p>Too bad you could not see anything and the situation was turning so sour, that part <em>did</em> sound kinda funny.</p><p> </p><p>He took your petrified hand and cleaned it with roughness, you saw his hands, they clearly doubled the size of yours, somewhere in your brain you felt scared, but slowly, <em>relieve</em> came.</p><p>This man wasn’t Jo. This man didn’t had any tattoos on his arms, or across his fingers. This one was pretty tall, just like Jo, but the one that began your nightmare was pretty skinny, like one of those <em>skater boys</em> all over instagram. This guy looked bigger.</p><p> </p><p>Suddenly the same ice blue eyes appeared again, she was kneeling on the floor,</p><p> </p><p>— Hi <em>girl from the woods</em>, I’m princess Cirilla, but you can call me Ciri… I’m Geralt’s child of surprise —<em>what kind of surprise? Maybe the mother left her here on the doorstep, I’d call that a surprise.</em></p><p> </p><p>You tried to smile, that child was being tooth-aching sweet, but all that came out was a really, really pained smile. As you tried to smile she tugged the sleeve of the man</p><p> </p><p>— I don’t think she feels really well Geralt, she looks pale, I will see if Jaskier took the shortcut! —She rose quickly and sprinted out the room, so much energy on those young bones. Yours were young, obviously, but <em>now</em>? These bones were <em>pretty fucked up</em>.</p><p> </p><p>The man waited until the girl was out of sight to sit down at a chair that was really close to the bed. Then you saw it: he was <b>huge, </b>beautiful if you dared to admit; he had white hair that went a little bit longer that his shoulders, a really kind face but what kept your attention were those eyes <em>—had you ever seen someone with yellow eyes?, was that even possible?, was he… sick?</em></p><p>He got closer to you, crouching in the chair, he looked at you for what it seemed to be an eternity, until he finally spoke</p><p> </p><p>— Hello, ‘<em>girl from the woods</em>’—he said with an almost caring voice- I’m Geralt of Rivia, the Witcher serving this village. As Ciri told you, we found you in the woods, I mean, <em>Jaskier found you</em>. We found you bleeding, that was yesterday afternoon; we’re in a small village, near Temeria, the year is 1264.</p><p> </p><p>Your eyes finally opened, both of them, in utter terror, you tried to speak, but only muffled noise came from your throat, it was like you were paralyzed</p><p> </p><p>— Don’t try to speak please, that’s why we sent for a healer, you didn’t moved the whole night. —confessed the man knitting his brows- once he arrives you’ll be able to move and <em>talk</em>. Rest —he demanded- later we will talk. I think I know what happened to you.</p><p> </p><p>He left you alone, —<em>was this a bad dream?</em> You could not know. Closing your eyes you wished for this to be over, you imagined the last time the girls were in your apartment, laughing, all of you lying on the bed as you made fun of Sophie and her <em>tinder</em> bio, trying to get serious and write an essay due for uni. Crying bittersweet tears, you felt asleep again.</p><p> </p><p>☾✩☾✩☾✩☾✩☾✩☾✩☾✩☾✩</p><p> </p><p>You woke up by the rough hands of someone you didn’t know, old hands, white hair. This time this strange man was trying to put a flask in your lips</p><p> </p><p>— Here lady, try to swallow this, you need to move again —he spoke softly, he reminded you to a children physician.</p><p> </p><p>You swallowed and felt your body tingling, as if all of it were asleep, really awful sensation. By every second it went through you could feel the pain on your neck growing stronger, hot tears began facing your eyes as you tried to get up from your stomach with your arms, trembling all the way</p><p> </p><p>— She seems like she’s going to fall —a brown haired man stated as he almost watches you fall. You felt his hands on your armpits, he turned you over onto your back as you heavy breathed, closing your eyes.</p><p> </p><p>— Do you have anything for the pain in her wound? —Geralt’s voice sounded through the room</p><p>— I believe I do, its a concoction that must be applied to the wound itself I’m afraid</p><p> </p><p>— Let me do it —your broken voice cried, still with your eyes closed. You tried to open your eyes but the daylight was too much, so when you felt the paste in your fingers, you applied it while crying into your neck. You felt and utter darkness enveloping you.</p><p> </p><p>Again you felt onto what seemed pillows, unconscious.</p><p> </p><p>— <em>Shit</em> —it was the last thing you heard.</p><p> </p><p>☾✩☾✩☾✩☾✩☾✩☾✩☾✩☾✩</p><p> </p><p>The next time you woke up, it was <em>nigh time</em>, a candle sat on the table next to the bed. It seemed that everyone was in the room. The man that you recognized as <em>Geralt</em> was on the doorframe, with his arms crossed, the girl that has introduced herself as <em>Princess Cirilla</em> was on the chair closest to the bed, and the brown haired man that caught you while falling, was seated on the bed, looking directly at you.</p><p> </p><p>— Hi, I’m Jaskier, I’m the one who found you in the woods, pretty bad state, pretty bloody face</p><p>— Jaskier! You can’t said that to a lady! —the little princess spoke in utter disagreement with the young man</p><p> </p><p>— What?, she looked like shit—</p><p> </p><p>You chuckled at the statement, you knew you’d really get to look like shit, so you could imagine just how <em>terrible</em> you must have look then and right now.</p><p> </p><p>Then Geralt cleared his throat, making everyone, including you, look at him. He got closer and closer to the bed and, reaching in his chemise pocket, reached his hand out for you.</p><p> </p><p>The covers reached onto your neck, so you slowly removed both of your arms, just to realize you were <b><em>still</em></b> wearing the clothes from the club. They were drenched in blood, but trying not to make a big deal, you covered your chest with the comforter just getting your arms out. Nudity is not a problem when you’re in the verge of dying. Reaching out your left hand, he handed you a blueberry looking stone.</p><p> </p><p>Inspecting it you declared, looking lost at him<em> —This is the pill I took in the club.</em></p><p> </p><p>Nobody quite understood what you were trying to say,</p><p> </p><p>— what is a club? —Jaskier blurted out of the blue, really questioning <em>what on earth</em> had you just said.</p><p>— a place where you go out drinking and dancing —you calmly stated, this was the year 1264 for <em>fucks sake</em>, it was obvious that these people didn’t dance, <em>at all.</em></p><p><em>— Ouh, </em>the drinking I understand, but the dancing? <em>Why</em> would you <em>want</em> to dance while being drunk?!</p><p>— easy, to get laid —you blurted out while Geralt grunted, calling the attention of everyone again.</p><p> </p><p>— Well, the thing that you are holding in your hands it’s a piece of old magic.<em> Vampire magic</em>. Who gave it to you? —the lines in his forehead where getting wrinklier and wrinklier as he spoke.</p><p> </p><p>— Jo gave it to me… my best friend’s new lover —<em>it was better to explain it like that, how on earth were you going to explain fucking </em><b><em>tinder</em></b><em> to a bunch of medieval looking people?-</em></p><p> </p><p><em>— </em>Well —continued Geralt- the reason why you are here and not where you come from is that stone. They call this thing the <b><em>stone of embodiment</em></b>. it’s… really complicated to explain…</p><p> </p><p>Sitting on the bed you grabbed your head on your hands —Go on, it cannot get stranger than this…</p><p> </p><p>— When you accept to take this stone wherever you are, it’ll teleport your body to the place the one that made the curse <b><em>wanted you to go</em></b><em>. </em>I’m assuming you accepted the stone from this man, by putting it in your mouth the contract was sealed, you are now living in this world.</p><p> </p><p>What a load of information this conversation had turned into. — He didn’t say it was a stone, it was a pill, a drug… I wanted to get high! —you began crying, desperately, it sounded as if your lungs’d explode inside your body.</p><p> </p><p>— Ciri, go to bed —exclaimed Jaskier in a strangely <em>adult</em> manner—this is gettin rough and it is really past your bedtime.</p><p> </p><p>As you cried, one question popped up on your head —How can I go back?</p><p> </p><p>The white haired man took your hand, trying to be careful</p><p> </p><p>— I’m afraid you can’t, this is a <em>rebirth stone</em> —he said looking at the floor—, once you eat it, the body of your dimension disappears, it dies… You get to rebirth in the dimension the sorcerer wanted you in.</p><p> </p><p>He let you out of your hand, suddenly.</p><p> </p><p>The voice of grandmother resonated between your brain <em>—It seems like you have a new skin, honeypot—</em>. Your friends, your life, all lost, nowhere to be found. You began crying even louder, who on earth didn’t said that you couldn’t mourn your own death?</p><p> </p><p>— Did you noticed anything strange on the man that offered you this? —Jaskier took you out of you head, even just for a second</p><p> </p><p>— He had really black eyes, and when I began to feel dizzy I thought I saw some fangs on his mouth… I thought I was hallucinating. I got to run away from him before passing out, I went to a bathroom and hid In there, I’m not quite sure if he found me.</p><p> </p><p>— He must’ve not found you, given that you are here —said the younger looking man— the sorcerer has to watch all of the process for the stone to do what was commended to do. Geralt, maybe that’s why she was in the woods and not where she was supposed to be —acknowledge the bard, pretty happily, puzzling resolving—.</p><p> </p><p>—Where they wanted me to be?</p><p> </p><p>— That we don’t know, girl. I cannot assure that you’ll be safe even, they’d be out, looking for you as a prize —Geralt said with a pinch of sadness, it was unbearable to think how many women were in the same position as you, but with another result— I’m afraid you’ll have to stay with us…</p><p> </p><p>— Call me Juniper —you barely spoke, it didn’t made any sense to keep your old name. (Y/N) was the name of someone who had already died in the floor of her favorite club— my name is Juniper (Y/L/N).</p><p> </p><p>You could change your name to the one grandmother loved, but you couldn’t erase the legacy of grandfather, he loved you like the sun loves the moon. You’d kept his last name even if it meant dying. Not everything has to have a rebirth.</p><p> </p><p>It seemed that Jaskier and Geralt has acknowledge the information you just gave, but then a scream came from Jaskier,</p><p> </p><p>— WHAT? —he interrupted— you let me stay after I almost DIE and <em>SHE</em> gets to stay just by showing up?! BY <em>DEFAULT</em>?! —He has already up on his feet, looking at you with fire on his eyes.</p><p> </p><p>— Jaskier, outside.</p><p> </p><p>Both of them left the room. What even was this luck? Is this what you can faith? Destiny?.</p><p> </p><p>You continued crying as you hugged your leg; it didn’t matter if you bloody bra was showing or if your favorite dress was all ripped, nothing of that mattered. Life had change to never, ever be the same. What a strange way to wish for a place <em>beyond the yellow brick road. </em>This was many ‘beyonds’ overdue.</p><p> </p><p>The door creaked again, but other eyes were the ones looking at you. Ciri was in her pajamas, or <em>it appeared that</em> the long shirt that she was wearing covered that function. She sneaked in with a bucket, a rag and another shirt.</p><p> </p><p>— I saw the blood, Geralt is really used to blood so it’s like he doesn’t see it, and Jaskier is always looking at his reflection on shiny things, so maybe he doesn’t even know that the color of your hair is umber —She said trying to be soft, and doing it like a pro— so I brought this for you to clean yourself… this is one of Geralt’s old shirts, I think you can use it, don’t think he’ll mind</p><p> </p><p>You smiled deeply and wiped your tears off —Thank you baby girl, this means a lot</p><p> </p><p>— Babygirl? —she stopped in her tracks— does this mean that you could be my big sister?</p><p> </p><p>You chuckled in utter happiness —of course, you can count on me— you repeated, as you used to repeat with Miranda and Sophie. Ciri hugged you softly, releasing you as she went to the door, before she waved goodbye she stated ‘<em>there’s a mirror on the second drawer, you can use it</em>’ and left, closing the door.</p><p> </p><p>You got up carefully, and stripped free of your clothes. Passing the rag through your skin really hurt, it was full of bruises and it still felt not right to move so much. Carefully you slipped on the shirt, it reaching your knees —<em>wow, is this man big or what?, </em>stated that tiny voice in your head-.</p><p> </p><p>Honoring your new friend… <em>sister -</em>you corrected yourself-, you opened the drawer to get the mirror out. Your reflection was pitiful, your face full of scars, and <em>was that make-up</em>? God, that mascara was worth all that money. You scrubbed as best as you could the grime and makeup from your face. The hair on your hair was already braided, Ciri had done it, you couldn’t take it out.</p><p> </p><p>Looking at you hair you noticed, you still had your earrings. A tiny sun and a tiny moon your grandfather gifted to you in your 9th birthday. Maybe not all your life was lost… they say that giving birth really hurt, but they didn’t said anything about giving birth to yourself.</p><p> </p><p>Reaching for the bed you carefully and painfully sat on it, getting your legs under the covers. Silent tears fell from your face as you blowed out the candle.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Oh I finally realize my future lies, beyond the yellow brick road</em>
</p><p> </p><p>☾✩☾✩☾✩☾✩☾✩☾✩☾✩☾✩</p><p> </p><p>Waking violently from a nightmare you sat on the bed, trying to look around, but your sight couldn’t adjust that well to so much darkness, instead, you heard… <em>snoring</em>.</p><p> </p><p>As soon as your eyes adjusted you were able to see, the hair of Geralt was shinning by the moon, he was sitting in the chair while sleeping. His face tangle as it appears that he was, as you, having nightmare.</p><p> </p><p>It seems that in all the hours that you’ve been here, he hadn’t left your side. What a <em>strange man</em>— you thought while closing your eyes again.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Honky Cat [part 1]</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
<p></p><div class="">
  <p></p>
  <div class="">
    <p>It was truly a sleepless night, more like a glorified nap. </p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>Every time that you woke up you noticed, Geralt didn’t left your side. The first time you thought you were dreaming, I mean… <em>who had done that for you?</em> That sensation really felt alien in your body, you couldn’t remember anyone beside your grandparents doing such act of <em>caring </em>of you. Regardless it felt warm, <em>good</em>, human and <em>kind</em>.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>The last time you woke up across the night you already knew he’d be there, so when you open your eyes and saw his face thrown to the ceiling, and his crossed arms in his chest you could only mutter</p>
    <p> </p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>—<em>Thank you for doing this</em></p>
  </div>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>Morning came</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>But he wasn’t by your side now. The chair left empty.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>Rubbing your eyes you got up, the wooden floors were warm and the air wasn’t so cold, <em>maybe it was spring?, </em>It didn’t felt so much like summer, maybe because you felt like shit; your body was cold, and with every little movement you felt like all your muscles were in the verge of tearing apart.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The pain felt a lot less like hell, but still you had trouble moving. Standing from the bed you began to recognize the room you had slept in for two days. It was really tiny, a girl’s room indeed. There was a vanity with no mirror which had two ribbons on its surface, and a little book in the corner</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>You had always been a snoop, so obviously and honoring all of your life choices, you opened the book. Inside of it there were pressed flowers. You smiled, and realized: YOU WERE ABLE TO <em>READ</em>, THE BOOK WAS IN <em>ENGLISH</em>. <em>THANK GOD!</em></p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>A sudden rush of energy stroke into your body, you left Ciri’s room in an instant, and opening the door you ran into your new housemates. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>—THE BOOKS ARE WRITTEN IN ENGLISH!, I CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY SAY! —Screaming, you brought the book into your face, reading an extract of it — </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>“If our bodies could a song compose…</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>My heart would inquire of your hands pale and fine, if they'd grasp it gently, to hold like a rose…</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p><em>Or treat it as a morsel upon which to dine?”… </em>What is this? —you asked knitting your brows, trying not to laugh</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>—That’s Jaskier poetry sketchbook! —Ciri yelled, trying not to die of laughter.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>—<strong><em>Hey!</em></strong>, those are really good poems, my soul has been poured onto those lines —exclaimed the bard looking at you and Ciri— and I mean I’m sure you could not ever write with such devotion! —he looked at you, up and down, perplexed and yelling— OH MY GOD I CAN SEE <em><strong>ALL</strong></em> OF YOUR BOSSOM, LADY.<em> COVER YOURSELF! —</em>he turned his sight to the wall, closing his eyes in a really dramatic manner.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>Red faced and red handed you covered your face with the sketchbook, </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>Jaskier turn around with his eyes covered by his hand and belted</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>—Ciri, I think you should lent her something to cover herself, I don’t want to see any <em>lady bits</em> today.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>She quickly rose from her seat and sprinted to her room, only to stop in her tracks and signaling for you to follow. She quickly opened the last of her vanity drawers, and took out what it seemed to be a big piece of cornflower blue fabric. With —oh so much— care she unfolded the garment, flowing in front of you a lengthy and full skirt.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>You received the skirt, passing it through your arms for it to sit on your waist. All the length of your legs was covered, the only thing showing through were your ankles. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>—Here, a lady made it for me. But Geralt intervened and told her to make it bigger, so I could grow into it —She looked at you, the height of you two wasn’t so far apart, but her body was of a child, not so a grown woman. Going to your back she buttoned up the garment, hugging you in the second she was done.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>You wrapped your arms in her hands, this was such a kind gesture. A single tear wanted to come out of your eyes, but you had always knew how to stop them from coming:</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>—You know, I’ve never worn anything this pretty —you cooed, turning into your heels to hug the girl properly and giving her a peck on the crown of her head— I always used to wear trousers… thank you so much for this pretty gift, I’m so glad to have you in my life little mouse.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>You two hugged tighter, you two were happy, <em>dazzling</em> to have found each other, to embrace each other. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>It’s not every other day you realize how much you want to give and receive love, and you didn’t expect it to be happening with a child, you never even thought on having a family in eons, but yet, something to protect had arrived at your life.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>After a little while Ciri looked at your face and whispered;</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>—Did women really wore trousers in your village? I’ve never seen anyone wearing them in here… maybe I've only seen a few, but it’s not that common. They’re usually warriors, but they are wearing them in armor.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>—Oh… —you muttered, where you <em>that</em> strange in this dimension?</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>This wasn’t about the pants or the permission of this world to let you wear them. It was a more of a profound realization. Life as you knew was already gone, but the feeling that you had so much to learn about this life, this culture and this whole universe left a really bitter and burning sensation in your mouth. It was like being one year old again.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>The voice inside your head began singing;</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <em>‘They said, get back, honky cat</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <em>Better get back to the woods’</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>Ciri’s voice interrupted your thoughts, </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>— Jaskier has some green trousers that he has never worn —as her malicious grin appeared on her pale little face, Jaskier appeared on the room, like he gas being summoned by some <em>old</em> <em>magic</em>.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p><strong>Cranky</strong> old magic, clearly.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>—Oh no I’m not going to give those away, those are my brothel trousers, they give me luck with the fair maids in the village —stated the bard looking at his nails. Wow, he really was a pretentious diva; you were beginning to feel fond of that.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>—Jaskier they don’t even fit —Replied Ciri, with a really good case of smarty pants. <em>Damn was being a kid, a preadolescent, a whole adventure. </em></p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>—I’m not going to, and that’s my final point.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>As sudden realization hit, you gave Jaskier the biggest puppy eyes and asked him</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>— Jaskier, can I plead for something?, it is rather important for me.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>—I don’t really trust those eyes —He whispered while fidgeting—. Anything but the green trousers. Tell me what do you want and I’ll see if I can make it possible. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>—Is there a study room here? In the house? —You asked getting taking a leap closer to him, you knew how to </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>—Jaskier you should show her around the house, she doesn’t know anything but the common room and my bedchamber. —Pleaded the princess with <em>her</em> puppy eyes, such a tiny copy-cat.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>He just began walking and talking, you followed him through every room trying to hear all of the stories and trying to learn them. In the bathroom you felt a little lost about the chamomile oil and its implication on his friendship with Geralt, but oh, <em>who are you to judge?</em>. Following his tour he showed you his room, declaring in a fake-menacing manner that they were <em>off-limits</em>for you, only the ones that he chose could ‘even step in that holy ground’. You could only chuckle, the <em>sass</em> of this guy was going to kill you someday.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>In the kitchen he showed you every piece of ingredient, food and brewage that they had in store, showing you Ciri’s dried herbs and Geralt’s <em>oils. Gosh that was something to take in</em>.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He left the upstairs rooms for the end of the tour, declaring that he was not going to show you Geralt’s bedchambers because ‘<em>he didn’t knew if some lady was sleeping in there</em>’, but then he opened another room. It was filled with books, bottles and paper sheets. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>—This is the Witcher’s study room —Jaskier signaled as you two walked in, your eyes were fixed in the walls, covered by different types of paper sheets, drawings and different notes— supposedly this room is off limits, but I think you can use it when Geralt’s not here… I mean you are going to get skinned by him, not me —he looked at you with menacing eyebrows, if you two got caught, all the fault was on you—</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>—Understood, no problem. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>You waltzed a little further on the room, something in it was <em>so</em>intoxicating, you felt like you had been there before. Dreams? You never dreamt in some renaissance/medieval setting, you hardly ever dreamt at all. Have you ever read about this? It was like being a tank fish in their first time swimming in the pacific ocean.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Thought you had never been in this place, in this specific point in time. Yet it <em>felt</em> like everything that you had ever done had lead you here. There were no place for doubts or misconceptions, that moment was yours to have, written in the stars, even before your first birth.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>You began taking books from the shelf, reading paragraph after paragraph as Jaskier tried his best to answer all of your questions. —<em>What is this place?, is there a map? What happened to this village?—. </em>Your study partner began to sing and play the lute while you read, making the time in spent there fly by; without neither of you realizing it hours went by, the afternoon setting in as so did a recent realization.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>In vague memories the face of Geralt appeared interrupting your thoughts like the sudden cry of a child for its mother. He tried the best that he could to explain what happened to you after the woods, but some pieces of information you weren’t able to recognize or internalize. You looked at the bard, hoping that he could answer you what you weren’t able to understand.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>—Jaskier, what does being a witcher means? —You gazed directly into his eyes, a silent plead to be taught, to be preached, for it to be not so different from what you already knew.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>—Grab the red book from the third shelf —as you moved and took it into your hands, he spoke again— that’s a grimoire. There are illustrations of all the fire monster that we know until today.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>—Do you mean that all this illustrations… these <em>things</em> exists? —Your eyes felt so open that they might never close again— walking outside? In the woods?</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>—Yes, and in the sea, in the rivers, pretty much in every corner of the world. Don’t tell me that from where you come from there are no monsters? That’d be so unfair, what kind of terror did your mother used to get you to do what she said? —he hit your arm trying to make a joke, clearly <em>fucking things up</em>.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>—I don’t know, maybe I didn’t have one to scare me to death in the first place —Pacing quickly around the room your bare feet were making stomping noises while Jaskier tried to stay anchored to a wall.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>Monsters, living in this reality. It wasn’t an allegory that what you ate was ‘<em>vampire magic</em>’, it was real, what an outrageous way to learn how this world works for <em>fucks</em> sake.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>All of these years you spent hundreds of hours envying Elizabeth Bennet and suddenly you had become her, but in such bad luck that this was no<em>Pride and Prejudice,</em> this was a twisted version probably written by Seth Grahame-Smith… you should’ve envied some rich man, if you had only <em>knew</em> manifesting your own reality <em>really</em><em>worked</em>.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>All of this new information was a lot to take in and the room was getting smaller and smaller, your head was spinning and you knew what was coming: you were going to weep like a cry baby if you continued trying to appear ok. Stopping in your tracks you looked at Jaskier and spoke</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>— I’m going to make bread, I can’t do this anymore —you were in the verge of crying, but not because you were utterly sad, you wanted to punch someone, <em>KILL</em> someone.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>—But there’s plenty of bread —he acknowledge, looking <em>really</em>confused at you.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>—I don’t care, I’m going anyways.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>Frustrated you moved quickly to your destination, fuming through your ears and trying not to let the tears run down —but failing with no sense of style— </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>While you were waiting for the dough to rise, you rested your head in the table. You couldn’t remember if you cleaned the surface before, it didn’t matter. After contemplating the abyss for a reasonable amount of time a tiny hand patted your shoulder, looking at Ciri’s face you wiped the silent tears in a fast manner, </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>—Where were you? —you asked, rising quickly from the table, trying to brush off the flour that rested on your cheek</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>—I was out, playing with the stray dogs, I got bored when you were in the study room, so I went to the woods —she replied grinning.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>—<em>Oh</em>, I’m sorry that we left you out of the conversation.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>—Don’t worry… is there anything I can do to cheer you up? You really cry silently, that’s strange.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>—Oh honey, It’s called <em>time management </em>—replying with a bitter joke was not very mature, but well, you never was Marta Stewart— but I know how to cheer me up.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>You had done this before, trying to pull yourself from your own ashes. It had happened before, when your grandfather passed, when you got expelled from your fancy school, your first breakup. Life always had a way to make you remember how to stand up and try not to die. This  was one of those times.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>Grabbing a wooden spoon you put it near your mouth, moved a little apart from the girl and began a singing:</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>I remember when rock was young</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>Me and Suzie had so much fun</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>Holding hands and skimming stones</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>Had an old gold Chevy and a place of my own</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>But the biggest kick I ever got</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>Was doing a thing called the Crocodile Rock</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>While the other kids were Rocking Round the Clock</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>We were hopping and bopping to the Crocodile Rock</em>
  </p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>Well Crocodile Rocking is something shocking</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>When your feet just can't keep still</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>I never knew me a better time and I guess I never will</em>
  </p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>Oh Lawdy mama those Friday nights</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>When Suzie wore her dresses tight</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>And the Crocodile Rocking was out of sight</em>
  </p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>La lalalala la lalalala la lalalala la</em>
  </p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>By the third verse you both were dancing, you didn’t need no music, you knew the lyrics perfectly. Ciri got to one of the chairs and began dancing a new version of rock and roll, just imitating your own rusty and really outdated moves. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The more you two danced, the more laughter was in the room. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The more happiness you felt.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Feeling your cheeks burning from dancing, probably red as a stop sign, someone cleared their throat.</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>—Geralt you arrived home! —Ciri screamed in a happy laughter as she ran to the side of the man, holding him by the arm</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p><em>Embarrassment</em> was really a little word for what you were feeling in the moment. You had spent all of these years trying to hide this side of your personality, to any male figure: friends, foe, lovers, neighbors, the guy that kept creeping you at uni, and so on and so on. But showing <em><strong>this</strong></em> to a guy whose job was <em>killing</em> <em>monsters</em> was not at all in <strong>any</strong> of your plans.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>—We were making bread and dancing Geralt! —he didn’t responded to the child, but instead got closer to the table in the middle of the kitchen and left a rucksack bag on it. </p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>His movements were sure and well planned. Seriousness invaded the room as you both looked at the man’s movements through the big piece of fabric and leather that rested onto of the table. His hands appeared from inside the bag with a baby blue colored fabric.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Was that <em>denim</em>?</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>You gazed slowly and wit a certain shame into his eyes</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>—Is that… is that my jacket? —you slowly touched the fabric as he handed the garment to you, electricity (probably from seeing this piece of clothing in this universe) running through your fingers—</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>—I went to the woods near the river today, I thought that I could find more clues about what or who brought you here, and on what purpose. Then I found this cloak and this things —he reached again for the rucksack and the <em><strong>legendary kitten heels</strong></em> appeared.</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>—THEY ARE HERE! —smiling you reached for the belongings, as tears began to surface your eyes. You really wanted to hug this strange man that was, even without him knowing, pulling you back from the shore of depression. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>But hugging strangers that could kill you as easy as you’d kill a fly was a big no-no in your book. So instead you smiled kindly at him, without the face of the receiver changing. But deep down you knew he was smiling, eyes don’t lie.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>A sudden gasp of old memories came back to your mind. <em>The hidden pocket</em>. You sat at the table and searched on the pockets, all of them empty; but you had always been a smarty-pants, obviously your favorite jacket had a hidden pocket. Opening the compartment in question, the only thing that was left: your lipgloss.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Well, you tried pretty hard not to cry like a baby today</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>You really <em>TRIED</em>.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>— <em>Geralt, you have to clean her tears</em> —whispered Ciri, trying to push the man towards your seat.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>A silent laugh came from your mouth as you wiped away your own tears, trying not to look at Ciri of Geralt. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>—Don’t worry, this happens. Thank you Geralt, all of these things mean the world to me. —still you couldn’t look at him, looking at the table instead.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Feeling a manly hand on your shoulder made you look at the front. Geralt face just had an empathy gaze that you understood as friendship, as someone you could really trust. Even to look like a wacko dancing to imaginary Elton John.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>—Tomorrow we will go to the village. Is It necessary for you to visit the healer. We believe there will be new information.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>The <em>bread of sadness</em> left to rot, something inside you already felt a little better.</p>
</div>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>